I’m a Mother-in-Law, but I Dislike Conflict with My Daughter-in-Law - Chapter 208

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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I’m a Mother-in-Law, But I Don’t Want Family Conflicts Episode 208

Sophia’s face was stained red on one cheek and the forehead above her eye.

These were scars from suffering both fever and skin disease, endemic illnesses of this region.

That was precisely the reason Sophia had been confined underground.

“Why is Lady Sophia’s face…?”

Count Jormon wasn’t the only one shocked.

The nobles and Baron Milo who were watching the entrance of the two were also flustered.

“Count, has something happened to Lady Sophia?”

“W-wait a moment.”

As Baron Milo approached with an interrogating demeanor, Count Jormon hastily stopped him and rushed toward Sophia.

‘Why is that guy here!’

The Countess, who had been conversing with people, also seemed flustered as she approached Isobel.

The two quickly exchanged glances.

It was a reproachful look asking if the other had released that child, and naturally both denied it.

‘First, I need to switch her back to Isobel! If I say that guy is Isobel and the real Sophia is someone else…!’

But his desperate plan wouldn’t work either.

Just before Count Jormon reached Jace, another person appeared from the passage.

Without even waiting for the attendant’s announcement, Wilhelmina appeared arm-in-arm with Isobel.

“Oh my, Count. Is something wrong? You look quite pale.”

“G-Grand Duchess…”

“Isobel, offer the Count a handkerchief. He’s sweating quite a lot.”

Wilhelmina smiled and patted Isobel’s back.

Isobel approached hesitantly and handed Count Jormon an unfamiliar handkerchief.

What came from Isobel’s pocket was Wilhelmina’s handkerchief, embossed with House Layton’s seal.

“Surely, you…”

Count Jormon couldn’t even string his words together properly from the continued shock.

Unless he was a fool, it was obvious who had planned this situation.

Sophia boldly showing her face, Isobel watching his reactions, and Wilhelmina still smiling with a cheerful expression.

‘So this was the reason for holding the banquet!’

He had thought it was a gathering for her vanity, but the reality was the opposite.

All of this was Wilhelmina’s plan.

Even if he tried to send Isobel and Sophia back now, it would be useless with so many spectators.

Moreover, since influential figures like Count Borgus and Baron Milo had witnessed it, silencing them was impossible.

“W-what is the meaning of this, Grand Duchess? Why are my children…?”

Unable to confess his crimes directly, Count Jormon asked in a roundabout way.

Then Wilhelmina answered with a cheerful voice.

“Didn’t I tell you beforehand? That I absolutely wanted to enter together with the Count’s daughter. So I brought her along.”

‘When she said daughter, I naturally assumed it was Isobel!’

Count Jormon gritted his teeth and glared at Isobel.

It was a reproachful look asking if she had entered with Wilhelmina while knowing this situation.

If it had been the old Isobel, she would have apologized on her own, but she only nestled closer to Wilhelmina’s side without even opening her mouth.

He wanted to shout angrily, but the gazes of the surrounding nobles held his reason in check.

“…Grand Duchess, let us have a word. There seems to have been some misunderstanding.”

“I love banquets so much that I don’t want to waste time, so let’s talk here?”

“This is an important matter concerning our family. It’s not something to discuss in front of others.”

“Oh my, is that so? But what should we do about this…”

Wilhelmina covered her lips with the fan she was holding. Then she muttered in a small voice that only Count Jormon could hear.

“I have nothing more I’m curious about regarding you.”

“…!”

At that moment, Wilhelmina’s eyes filled with mockery and contempt. It wasn’t the appearance of the foolish noble lady that the Count couple had been ignoring.

“Let’s have our intimate conversation after the banquet ends. The children are the protagonists of this banquet, and we adults shouldn’t interfere.”

“Aren’t you the host, Grand Duchess! Even just a brief break…”

Even if Count Jormon, the owner of the banquet hall, tried to stop the banquet, it would be pointless if Wilhelmina, the host, remained.

Since most of the guests had come to meet Wilhelmina rather than Count Jormon in the first place, he could only calm this chaos by persuading her.

From the moment she was promoted as the host, the sword hilt had practically already passed to her.

Just as Count Jormon was desperately trying to grab Wilhelmina, someone intervened between them.

“Grand Duchess Wilhelmina! It’s my first time meeting you. I am Baron Milo of Gorain.”

It was Baron Milo, who had somehow changed to a bright expression.

“We’ve exchanged letters several times, but this is the first time meeting like this. Nice to meet you, Baron Milo.”

“Haha! I’m sorry that I’m only now meeting the Grand Duchess who educated my child. I’ve been so busy with various matters…”

“I understand. Everyone knows that Baron Milo’s house is growing busily.”

Seeing the two who were obviously ignoring him, Count Jormon’s face turned bright red.

Baron Milo, who had blatantly turned his back on Count Jormon, continued with a hearty smile.

“It’s an honor just to have the Grand Duchess acknowledge our Baron Milo’s house. Well now, since this is our first meeting, we should have exchanged greetings at a joyous occasion, but the situation seems a bit…”

“…Are you saying this banquet isn’t joyous, Baron?”

Count Jormon, who couldn’t tolerate being ignored, let alone insulted, asked in a sharp voice.

Then Baron Milo glanced back at him with a troubled expression.

“Well, it’s not exactly a good occasion. You know this too, don’t you, Count? With Miss Sophia’s face like that, the engagement with our Jace is a bit…”

“What’s wrong with her face!”

“Face aside, wasn’t it you, Count, who first hid Miss Sophia’s illness? In-laws shouldn’t have secrets between them.”

“Ugh…!”

Count Jormon raised his voice in anger, but he knew this was sophistry.

After all, it was he who had made Isobel act out of fear of the engagement being broken.

He had no justification to stop Baron Milo.

Count Jormon, who was desperately racking his brain to somehow escape this situation, happened to spot Isobel.

“Th, then we can arrange the engagement again. How about Isobel?”

“Hmm…”

Not knowing he would grovel so desperately, Baron Milo’s gaze turned coldly distant.

However, siblings substituting for engagements was not historically uncommon.

Moreover, since both Jace and Isobel were young, there would be no great burden in re-engaging.

‘After all, what the Milo family wants is status!’

Though the target had changed, what each side wanted remained the same.

Even if his own honor would be tarnished, he could avoid the worst-case scenario.

Just as Baron Milo was about to open his mouth to respond, Wilhelmina interrupted.

“Well, that doesn’t seem like something for adults to decide.”

“Wh-what do you mean?”

Wilhelmina smiled like a cat watching a mouse caught in a trap and pointed to Jace and Sophia.

“Re-engagement is only possible when both parties are available, isn’t it?”

Just as Count Jormon was raising mental question marks at these incomprehensible words, Sophia opened her mouth toward the confused guests.

“Distinguished guests who have joined us, welcome.”

And then unimaginable words began to spill from her lips.

“I first extend my gratitude to Grand Duchess Wilhelmina for preparing this occasion. Drawing strength from the Grand Duchess’s support, I stand here to tell you all the truth.”

‘Surely she’s not going to talk about when she was confined!’

If that happened, it wouldn’t be a matter of engagement – the Count’s house might face ruin.

No matter how much it was a family matter, if it became known that he had confined his daughter, he could never show his face in high society again.

But contrary to his worries, Sophia’s confession flowed in a different direction.

“I no longer wish to continue my engagement with Lord Jace, so I request an annulment here. And I wish to inform you that I will live as a scholar, not as a woman.”

“The Jormon Count’s side is requesting the annulment, not the Milo Baron’s house?”

“A scholar…?”

The flustered nobles began to murmur. Regardless, Sophia calmly continued her story.

“I have had intimate conversations with Lord Jace during this time. We do not love each other, nor did we try to understand each other’s circumstances. Because I hope for a life as a scholar, and Lord Jace… hopes for marriage with someone he truly loves.”

Count Jormon’s jaw dropped as if it would touch the ground.

Sophia’s desire to be a scholar could have been dismissed as an excuse born from not wanting to marry.

But the story that followed was even more shocking.

Jace had someone he loved?

Moreover, if this was announced in such a public setting, wouldn’t he be unable to get engaged to anyone other than Sophia?

Count Jormon hurriedly turned his gaze to Baron Milo.

He was about to ask if he had known about this too, but Baron Milo’s expression was not much different from Count Jormon’s.

‘Did he announce this here for the first time? Then who on earth is this person?’

Was he in love with someone he couldn’t reveal even to his own father?

Then their status must be extraordinary. Either too low, or too high.

While thinking about who this person might be, he saw Wilhelmina’s face, still smiling.

“Su-surely, you…”

“Oh my, was I found out?”

Wilhelmina averted her gaze as if she knew nothing, but this only amplified Count Jormon’s suspicions.

The statement that re-engagement was only possible when both parties were available meant that Jace already had someone in mind.

And the one who knew this secret was not his parents, but Wilhelmina.

‘Did she bewitch that brat!’

In his mind, he had already reached the plausible conclusion that Jace had fallen for Wilhelmina.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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